Cupid & Frost
by FrostRyder
Summary: Valentina Aster Johnson, known as Val, is a typical 17 year old girl, except for the fact that she still believes in the guardians of her childhood. When her heart is broken, she must learn to heal with time. Things come to abrupt halt when Val dies and becomes a guardian herself. Can Jack Frost help Val's heart to heal? Or will she remain broken hearted forever?
1. Chapter 1: A Broken Heart?

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own The Rise of the Guardians or any of the characters associated with it. I do own my own original characters, though.  
A/N: This is my first fanfiction and I hope you like it.**

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**Chapter 1: A Broken Heart…?**

Snow. A voice. A face. That is all I remember from that day. I don't know who he was; all I know is that he saved my life. That was when I was ten; I'm seventeen now, and I haven't stopped believing that he exists, despite what everyone has told me. I don't know his name, but I do know one thing: I will find him.

"Hey, V! Wakey-wakey, eggs and bakey!" Kristi sings in my ear.

"Come back from La-La Land, Val!" Ian whispers next to me.

Stupid best friends. Currently, I am sitting in my senior mythology and folklore class with Kristi and Ian, my two best friends, my only friends really. We started school two months ago on August 13th, and we've barely done anything in this class. The teacher, Mr. Grayson, somehow magically falls asleep the moment he sits down in his chair, no matter how loud the other students are. I mean, I hate having to be at school almost as much as the next person, but I do occasionally like to learn something.

Ian helps me up from my desk, where I had been daydreaming, and Kristi, Ian, and I leave the classroom, heading for our lockers and then to the parking lot. "So who wants to help me with my homework?" Kristi asks, using her green puppy-dog eyes.

"I can't." I shake my head. "I have, er, prior commitments."

Ian facepalms. "You mean your 'blog'?" He airquotes.

"Nooo." I sigh. "My aunt and uncle from Florida are coming up for the weekend, before it gets too cold and starts snowing because my aunt has metal rods in her back and legs, and-"

"Alright!" Ian cuts me off and turns to Kristi "I'll help you," he sighs. "Come on, Kristina." He drags her off down the sidewalk to where her house is. I head in the opposite direction, adjusting my backpack straps on my shoulders.

My friends and I live in the small town of Burgess, Pennsylvania. Not much to the town, but it has awesome ice-skating and sledding in the winter. I kick the pile of leaves that is next to the sidewalk, making them fly in the air. Fall and winter are my favorite times of the year; I love the cold for some reason. I smile to myself as I stop on the porch to be greeted by my cat twining himself between my legs. I scratch his head. "Hey Snow," I murmur. "Who's my good boy?"

Snow meows in response and saunters through the front door that just opened, right when my uncle sweeps me up into a big hug. "There's my little Valentina!"

I laugh. "Hey Uncle Rick. I'm glad you could make it so soon. How's Aunt Agnes?"

"As charming as ever. Naw, she says there's a chill in the air and that it'll snow early this year. So as much as she wants to stay, we're going to have to leave tomorrow afternoon."

I frown. "What about our plans?"

"We'll have to do them some other time, Val. But, you know what?" He nudges my arm. "I got you something that you've been begging for forever."

I gasp. "You don't mean…!"

"Yep." Uncle Rick grins. "The new ice skates and snow board you've been wanting. They're in your room on your bed. "

"No way!" I hug him. "I love you. You're the best!"

"Yep, and don't you forget it!" He ruffles my blonde hair before stopping and looking at my highlights. He raises his eyebrow. "Your mother let you get blue and pink highlights?"

I shrug. "It was for my birthday."

"How time flies. How old are you now? Like 300?"

I poke him. "I'm seventeen, thanks for remembering."

"Val? Is that you?" Mom yells.

"No. It's the boogeyman. Of course it's me! I was talking with Uncle Rick," I yell back.

"Well come inside and help with dinner!"

"Okay!" I sigh as Uncle Rick and I enter the house, but before I close the door, I feel chills run up my spine. When I look outside, there's nothing there except a few orange leaves blowing in the wind.

I slip my jacket off and pick up Snow, walking into the kitchen where Uncle Rick, Aunt Agnes, and my mom are sitting at the island. I stand next to Uncle Rick, leaning against the island and listening to my aunt complain to my mom about her age, bones, hair, back, pain, the economy, etc., etc., etc. Uncle Rick just drinks his beer and ignores her.

Uncle Rick downs the rest of his beer before heading to the living room to watch television. I put down Snow and wash my hands, getting the loose, white hairs off of them. I open the refrigerator, pulling out a whole bunch of different fresh vegetables and putting them on the counter so I can make stir-fry. Just as I am about to start the preparation of the vegetables, Uncle Rick calls me into the living room.

"Val, have a look at this."

I set down the knife I'm using and hurry to see what he wanted to show me. On TV, the news is showing a devastating car crash. Below the video footage is a live real of a news anchor who is speaking.

"A Burgess High School teacher, Mr. Larry M. Grayson was killed in a fatal collision with a semi-truck when the driver supposedly lost control and overturned the semi onto Mr. Grayson's car, claiming his life. No one knows why the truck-driver lost control, but from eye-witness reports, it is believed that the driver was intoxicated. However, the driver is still missing. If you know anything or have any additional information, please call your local authorities."

I plop down on the couch, my hands shaking. I mean, yeah, I barely knew the teacher, but the fact that he was my teacher and he's dead still shocks me. Something wet lands on my hands: tears. I wipe them away as I run upstairs to my room and turn on my computer, about to video-chat Ian and Kristi. First, though, I check my blog, deciding to write a memoir for Mr. Grayson.

Starting a new file, I begin typing.

_Today is Friday, October 13__th__, 2021. This day, the world has witnessed the loss of an extraordinary man: Mr. Larry M. Grayson. Not well known, Mr. Grayson was the teacher of my senior class's Mythology and Folklore class at Burgess High School. Though we students at Burgess High School may have had Mr. Grayson for a teacher, we never had the time to really appreciate him as a person. He deserves to be respected and loved and cherished just as much as everyone else on this planet deserves to be. So take a moment to cherish your loved ones and send a prayer to Mr. Grayson's family as they mourn the loss of their beloved family member, a man with a beautiful soul who has dedicated over 40 years of teaching to Burgess High School._

_May your love never die._

_Love Always, Cupid XOXO_

Posting it, I scan through the messages from my followers. They're mainly personal question about love problems. Each Sunday I do a live webcast where I answer about five to ten of the questions, anonymously. Other people, who don't mind their screen names being revealed, post directly on the page. I mark the seven questions that I decide to answer on Sunday, and I'm about to logoff when one of the posts catches my eye.

It reads:

_Dear Cupid,_

_I know that this may seem silly to say, but you are a true inspiration, and I really admire you. I think you're funny, smart, caring, beautiful. But what I really want to say is that the Halloween dance is coming up soon, and if you don't already have a date for the dance, I would be honored to accompany you. I hope that you will consider my offer._

_J. P. Matthews_

I stare at the screen without blinking for several minutes, trying to comprehend what happened. This is the first time that any of my followers have ever asked me out.

I begin typing a response.

_Dear J. P. Matthews,_

_As flattering as it is that you would ask me to the dance, I'm afraid that I cannot accept your offer. I have the policy of never becoming emotionally or personally invested with anybody because I love everybody, and I wouldn't want anybody to be hurt. Plus, I don't even know you on a personal level. I'm sorry… :(_

_Never stop believing in love._

_Love Always, Cupid XOXO_

Almost immediately, I receive a response from him.

_Dear Cupid,_

_I understand your policy, but you have also stated that you have a policy of helping and doing whatever you can for people who are having problems with love. I still hope that you will consider my offer and allow for you to get to know me. Please inform me of your decision on Monday in our Mythology and Folklore class._

_See you Monday._

_J. P. Matthews_

My mouth drops, and I stand up. This is freaky. I really need to talk to Kristi and Ian about this, in person. I lock my computer and open the door to my balcony after writing a note and leaving it on my desk. I grab my skateboard and jump over the balcony, landing on the ledge above the garage and dropping down to the ground. I take off down the street to Kristi's house, easily dodging any bicyclists or people walking.

One of the reasons why I'm so indecisive about accepting J. P. Matthews's invitation to the dance is that I was planning on asking Ian to the dance. Yeah. I have a major crush on my best friend. It sucks, since he's the person I've been closest to since I moved to Burgess when I was eleven, and I'm scared that he only sees me like I'm his little sister since that's how he treats me.

I stop at Kristi's front porch, leaning my skateboard against the wall. I knock on the door which Kristi's mom answers. "Hey, Val. Kristi and Ian are in her room, studying," she says.

"Okay. Thanks, Mrs. Newman." She smiles at me.

I enter the house, running up the stairs. I start talking as I open the door. "Hey, guys. I have something really import-" I stop at the sight that I see on Kristi's bed. She's on top of Ian on the bed, kissing him nonstop while his hands are on either side of her head. Pain spreads through my chest; Kristi knows how I feel about Ian. Both of them stop and look at me.

I start backing up as Kristi gets off the bed. I run down the stairs, hearing Ian yelling at me to stop. For the first time since I've known Ian, I don't listen to him.

I sprint out the door, grabbing my skateboard and running towards the forest behind my house. A couple of years ago, when I was thirteen, I found a pond hidden within the forest there. I've never told anybody about it; I don't know why. The pond has been my secret solace for years whenever I've been upset or needed to be alone: I'd go swimming in the summer and ice-skating in the winter; I've sat under the trees for hours, just drawing, reading books, or listening to music. It feels like the pond is my personal hideaway.

I crash through the undergrowth until I reach the pond, throwing my skateboard to the side. I curl up under one of the trees that I always sit under, and I cry. The last time that I cried here was when my dad was murdered when I was fourteen.

After crying my heart out for hours, I must have passed out because the full moon is shining high in the sky when I wake up. A pleasantly cool breeze blows past, ruffling my hair as a single snowflake falls on my nose. I smile up at the moon, thinking that Jack Frost must be watching over me, just like I feel he does whenever I come to this pond. Sighing, I walk to the edge of the pond, looking at my reflection and picking stray leaves out of my hair. The necklace I'm wearing, a pink and silver heart that Ian gave me for my fifteenth birthday, falls off; the chain and the heart are both broken in half. Tears prick at my eyes as I pick up the necklace and throw it into the center of the pond, where the moon is reflected.

I sit down with my back against a boulder and stare at the pond, my eyes half-closed. Red and gold leaves ride on the breeze and land in the water, making ripples. I glance at the sky as several thin clouds pass over the moon, and snow begins to fall.

Sighing, I smile slightly and whisper, "Alright, Jack Frost, I'll go inside now. Thank you for letting me come here and making me feel better, by the way." I think I hear a chuckle behind me and words that sound like "You're welcome," but I just ignore it and pick up my skateboard, heading to my house. Before pushing through the bushes, I glance back, thinking I see someone vanishing in the corner of my vision. When I look at the spot, though, no one is there.

Needless to say, when I get home, my mom is not a happy person, but one look at my face keeps her from asking any questions. She just hugs me and gets me a cup of hot chocolate before giving me a kiss and telling me to go to bed.

I gladly take the cup and head to my room. Before going to bed, I decide to respond to J. P. Matthews on my blog.

_Dear J. P. Matthews,_

_With regards to your previous offer, I have decided that if you can convince me on why I should go to the dance with you by the day before the dance (October 27__th__), then I will go with you to the dance. Something that happened tonight made me remember why I started my blog and the vow I made to keep other people from experiencing the pain of a broken heart. If you still wish, I will be waiting in front of the school by the flagpole before school starts on Monday._

_May your love always strike true._

_Love Always, Cupid XOXO_

I wait for his response, and a few minutes later, the message pops up.

_Dear Cupid,_

_It is still my wish to be with you. But there is one bit of advice that I would like to give to you: Don't spend too much time trying to fix other people's broken hearts. You have to think of your own as well. Because what would happen when you, Cupid, get a broken heart?_

_J. P. Matthews_

I stare at the computer screen, unable to answer. What happens when "Cupid" gets a broken heart?

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**Well not too bad for a start. :) Please read and review. I'm always open to constructive criticism.**

**And yes, Jack Frost will actually come in very soon, so don't worry. ;)**


	2. Chapter 2: New Teacher

**About 15 hours of work to create this chapter. Hope you like it. Please review, follow, or favorite.**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own The Rise of the Guardians.**

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**Chapter 2: New Teacher**

The weekend flew by and now it's Monday, October 16th. My aunt and uncle left Saturday afternoon, and I did my webcast on Sunday, so there wasn't really anything different about my weekend, except that I spent most of my time at my pond.

When I arrive at school, I wait by the flagpole, listening to the song that I am going to perform during fifth period: Music Composition and Performance with Mr. Williams. A hand on my shoulder startles me. The owner of the hand is a fairly tall boy with black hair and light brown eyes. His skin is pale, but slightly tinged with pink, and he has a light dusting of freckles across his cheeks. He offers a smile before pulling my earphone out of my ear.

"Hey, Cupid," a voice like chocolate murmurs.

I smile at him. "You must be J. P. Matthews. The follower on my blog."

He runs his hand through his hair. I swear I can see a slight blush on his cheeks. "Yeah. That's me." He looks around. "The name is Joseph, by the way. Joseph Philip Matthews. But you can just call me JP if you want."

"Val." I look at him for a while before speaking again. "Aren't you the kid that everyone around school says is emo, or gay, or something like that?"

He looks down, mumbling. "Yeah."

I frown. "They have no right saying those things about you. But tell me, Joseph Philip Matthews." He looks up, and I smirk. "How long have you been my follower?"

A huge grin spreads across his face. "Since I first found out that it was you after bumping into you at lunch that one day in sophomore year."

"The day that we had spaghetti for lunch and I was wearing a white shirt? And I ran out crying because I was so embarrassed?"

"That's the day." He chuckles. "I'm still really sorry about that."

"It's no problem." I grin at him. "I still can't believe that was you. You hair looks so different now." I reach up and touch a piece of his hair. "It was brown back then."

"It was actually dyed brown. Black is its normal color." He grins shyly. "Will you sit with me at breakfast?"

I nod my head, still smiling. "Of course. Let's head there now."

JP hesitates before he takes my hand in his, blushing. I lightly punch his arm. "So what do you want for breakfast? I'm buying." I'm about to protest, but he says, "Please. I insist."

I smile. "I'll take a Belgian waffle with whipped cream and an iced mocha."

He nods, a small smile on his lips, as we enter the cafeteria and wait in line. "Two Belgian waffles with extra whipped cream and two iced mochas," he told the cashier, who gave him his ticket and tells us that it will be five minutes.

We sit down at one of the tables. We idly chitchat until our food is ready, which JP goes to get. I hear the cafeteria door open, and I turn a little, trying to see who it is. It's two guys that came in. One is wearing a white dress shirt, black slacks, and black shoes; he has dark brown hair and glasses. The other one is wearing a blue hoodie, brown pants, and no shoes, surprisingly; his hood is pulled up, so I can't really see his hair color, but it looks either white or platinum blonde. It almost looks like the two are father and son, but something seems off. The pair stops and looks at me. I look away after locking eyes with the guy in the blue hoodie. Thankfully, JP comes back with the food and saves me from humiliating myself in front of complete strangers.

"Hey," I murmur. "Do you know who those people behind us are? One of them is wearing a white shirt and black pants."

JP hesitates. "I think he's either a parent or a college rep. I don't know why he would stop here for food, though." He sets the plates down and begins eating in silence.

I reluctantly follow suit, occasionally glancing back at the pair. _I wonder why JP didn't mention the guy in the blue hoodie_, I think to myself. _No matter_. After eating, I take both my and JP's plates, dumping them in the nearest trash can. Returning to the table, I grab JP by the arm, pulling him with me towards the exit, right past the blue-hoodied boy. I look eyes with him for a second, a chill running down my spine as he smirks at me. It feels like I should know him from somewhere.

I keep walking to the front of the school, dragging JP behind me, until he finally stops me. "You want to tell me what the HELL that was?!" he exclaims. "Why are you acting like you've seen a ghost?"

I take a deep breath. "Are you telling me you didn't see the guy that was wearing the blue-hoodie, brown pants, and no shoes? Please tell me that you saw him."

He looks at me with a confused expression. "I didn't see anything like that at all. Are you okay? Do you need to go to the nurse?"

I shake my head. "No. I guess I just saw someone that reminded me of a person that saved my life from a snowstorm when I was ten. I was never able to find the person, so I've gone a little crazy trying to find him so I can thank him."

He nods. "I understand. Life or death situations can really change a person." He pulls me toward him in what turns into an awkward hug. JP clears his throat. "We better head to first block, before we're late."

"Yeah." I'm still convinced that the blue-hoodied guy wasn't just my imagination. But if he was the guy that saved my life before, then he hasn't aged a day since then. I need to know who he is.

I'm sure JP senses my uncertainty, because he says, "If it will offer you any closure, I'll help you find whoever saved your life when you were little."

I smile sadly up at him. "Thanks. So I guess I'll see you later, then."

"Yeah." He strokes my hair before walking to class, leaving me by myself. A cool breeze blows past, carrying a few stray leaves that settled by my feet. A couple of snowflakes land on my cheeks and nose, creating a light dusting of snow in my hair.

I slowly walk into the main building, where my English class is held. I'm just barely able to make it into the door of Mrs. Duffy's classroom before the bell rings. I sit in my seat near the front of the room. We've been working on analyzing different poems in this class so far; it's not something that I'm not used to.

Today, though, I can't focus. My mind keeps wandering back to Friday night and this morning. I still can't get over the fact that Kristi betrayed my trust when she knew that I had a crush on Ian since forever. And then there's the mystery guy with the blue hoodie. The feeling of his presence seems so familiar, but it's impossible that I actually know him from anywhere because there is no way that I would forget a face like his. Heat rises to my face as I remember the way he smirked at me.

"Val? Do you need to go to the nurse?" Mrs. Duffy calls out from her desk.

"Ma'am?" I murmur, snapping back to reality.

"You look like you're about to faint. Do you need to go to the nurse to lay down for a bit?" she asks again.

"Oh, no ma'am. It's just a little hot in here. I'll be fine." My blush intensifies with embarrassment. I look down at my paper, finding that the poem is almost completely analyzed already.

The bell rings, and everyone stampedes for the door. I follow the crowd out the door before heading to my calculus class with Dr. Webster. I'm about to sit down in my normal seat at the front of the room before JP walks in and pulls me to the back of the class to sit by him. Glancing toward the doorway, I notice Ian and Kristi walking in together. I hold my breath.

"Just look at me," JP whispers next to me.

I turn around, facing him. He's staring into my eyes. I slowly let out the breath I'm holding, a feeling of calm washing over me. I half-smile, nodding. "Thanks," I whisper back.

"Anytime." JP glances toward the front of the room. "It's safe now."

I nod, turning back around. Calculus passes without much drama, apart from one of the popular girls passing out near the end of class when she heard that there was a 50 question test tomorrow. Other than that, it was a pretty fun class period, with JP passing me notes. He's actually really good at writing poetry, I found out.

I link arms with him as we walk to our history class with Mr. Conan, who ended up having a substitute today so the class just watched a movie and talked. As JP and I are leaving the classroom, I spot the man with brown hair from this morning. He's heading toward the counselor's office. I don't see the boy with the blue hoodie anywhere near him; it must have been my imagination after all.

JP drops me off at my biology class before he heads off to his English class. I walk in, and Dr. Thompson hands me a sheet of paper with the lab and the name of my partner on it. I sit at my designated lab table and begin reading the handout: we're doing a dissection today. Great. Just great.

"You're in my spot," someone hisses at me.

"We're doing a lab today. This is my table. I'm sitting here. Find your own table," I mutter, still reading the procedure.

"This is my table too. And that is MY spot. I always sit on that side of the table," the boy growls.

I glance up at him, raising my eyebrow. His blue eyes are narrowed to slits in his tan face. His hair is a mousy blonde color. This means that my science partner is none other than Devin McGee, the star high school football player with an infamously bad temper and habit of being a womanizer. "Then I suggest that you get comfortable being on the other side. Just because you're a jock doesn't mean you can always get your way. That's not the way that life is. And this is the 21st century if you haven't noticed, not the civil rights era. I shouldn't have to move just because I'm a girl and you have a superiority complex." I narrow my eyes.

Devin's eyes widen with shock, his mouth dropping. He gulps and takes the seat next to me. "Sorry," he mumbles.

I lightly touch the top of his hand. "It's okay. But seriously, if you're a lot nicer to people, then you'll actually make some true friends, instead of those jerks that you put a show on for whenever you act all tough and badass. And maybe you'd get a girlfriend that cares about you for who you are as a person and not as a football star."

"What business is it of yours to be nosing about in my relationship?" Devin glares at me.

I roll my eyes. "Obviously you aren't a follower of my blog." I sigh. "I give people relationship advice, and your girlfriend was one of the people that asked me a question, and it basically enforced the fact that the only thing she cares about is your popularity… and that she's cheating on you with your best friend."

"You mean," he says as his eyes widen, "you're Cupid?"

I hang my head. "I thought it would be more obvious. My name's Val, by the way. And we're doing a dissection in class," I add.

His face pales a little. "Okay." Devin shudders. "Um, Val?" he asks. "If I do the writing, will you do the actual dissecting?"

I blink a couple of times. "You're squeamish?"

Devin nods imperceptibly. "I can't stand being around dead animals. So will you?"

I smile. "Sure. And see? Something like that makes you more relatable. I'd bet that a lot of people, girls in particular, would find it awesome that you have a soft spot for animals."

"Really?"

The bell rings. "Yeah. I'll go get the…cat." I gulp, feeling slightly light-headed. I stand up and get our tray that has the…dead…cat already placed on it, bringing it to our table. The dissection goes fairly well, except that I almost fainted from the smell of it. As we were almost out the door after the bell rang, Devin stops me with a hand on my shoulder.

"Hey. Thanks for what you did today."

I grin. "It's no problem. I'm always willing to help anyone who needs it. Sometimes all a person needs is a little love for them to blossom into their true self. It takes time to adjust, but everything usually works out in the end."

Devin chuckles. "Let me repay you. Dinner, tomorrow, my place."

"You'll have to talk to my mom about that. She's the counselor, just to let you know. And I might already have plans depending on whether or not JP wants me to go over to his house. But thank you, for the offer."

"May I at least walk you to lunch?" he pleads.

I sigh. "Of course you may."

We head out the door, and half way to the cafeteria, we meet up with JP. "Hey," I say as I hug him. "JP, this is Devin, my lab partner. Devin, this is JP, the guy I might be going to the Halloween dance with."

They shake hands and stare each other down. "How would you like to join us for lunch?" Devin and JP ask at the same time. They burst out laughing, slapping each other on the back. "Thanks," they say simultaneously.

I walk in between them on our way to the cafeteria. After ordering the food, we find a table outside near the front wall. When JP leaves to get our lunch, Devin asks, "So why haven't you been hanging with your best friends?"

The question makes me freeze. Was I ready to tell somebody? "I…they…we…" I hesitate, clearing my throat. JP returns with our food, Devin taking his cheeseburger and stuffing half of it into his mouth.

"So?" he mumbles around his food.

I sigh. "Ian. I had a crush on him for about as long as I've known him. Kristi knew that. Friday, Kristi needed help with her homework, so they went to her house. I went to mine. After I heard about Mr. Grayson's death and was on my blog, I went over to talk to them, but when I got there, they were on Kristi's bed, kissing." I pause, my hands trembling as I take a drink of my iced mocha.

Both JP and Devin put their hands on my arms. "Sounds like you need some help with your love life." Devin smirks.

"Oh, yeah. Cupid needing help with her love life. So ironic." JP rolls his eyes.

"At any rate, I just feel betrayed. I trusted Kristi, and she broke my trust." I twirl a piece of my hair between my fingers. "Mainly, I just don't want to run into either of them."

"You don't need them, you know," Devin begins with a grin. "You've got us now. As weird as it is to say it, we three go together pretty well."

My smile begins to grow, as JP continues. "Once time has healed your wounds, you can choose to either forgive them or forget them. Either way, you'll be able to move on with your life."

I take a deep breath, pulling the guys into a hug. "Thanks, you guys. I really appreciate you doing this for me," I murmur with a smile on my face.

"What are friends for?" Devin punches JP's shoulder. I laugh a little.

"_They're getting along like two brothers might," _I think, my smile growing as the two basically wrestle each other and give friendly punches.

My smile fades as I see Kristi and Ian walking towards us. Tears begin welling in my eyes as I remember the painful events of last night. I mutter to JP, "I need to go."

He nods, seeing the problem. "See you in class, Cupid."

Devin nods. "Later, Cupid."

"See ya, JP, Devin," I whisper as I rush off inside the school. As I turn to go down the hallway that leads to my mom's office, I collide with someone carrying a large stack of books and papers, causing the person (and the papers) to crash to the floor. I go over to the young man and help him up from the floor. "I'm so, so sorry. I should have been watching where I was going. I'll help you clean up." I notice that it's the man that was in the cafeteria this morning.

"It's okay." He laughs, his brown eyes sparkling. "I should have gotten here sooner so I could fill out all the paperwork."

I look at him more closely. His brown hair is slightly messy and long, but not to the point that it's unattractive. He has some freckles, but not too much that it would be deemed child-like. His glasses make him look older. Overall, his appearance is mature, but there is still a bit of an inner-child inside of him.

He extends his hand toward me. "The name's Jamie Bennett. I'm a new teacher here."

"I'm Val." I clasp his hand. "I'm the counselor's daughter."

Jamie nods his head. "I saw the pictures in her office."

I blush a little, retracting my hand and starting to pick up the papers. "Again, I'm really sorry about running into you like that. I was trying to, er, get away from someone."

He chuckles, helping with the papers. "It wasn't the Boogeyman, was it?"

I frown and shake my head. "It's not something I feel comfortable talking about." My hand freezes as I stare at a paper with the heading "Jack Frost." I look up at Mr. Bennett. "Are you…? You aren't the new Mythology teacher, are you?"

"Actually, I am. I heard about what happened to Mr. Grayson. It's a real shame that he's gone. He taught me when I was your age." He frowns, as if he is remembering something from a long time ago. "Anyways, you can't change the past; you can only look forward into the future." The bell rings, bringing him out of his reverie.

I hand him the stack of papers I had picked up. "I need to get on to class. It was good meeting you, though, Mr. Bennett."

He smiles. "I'll see you in class. And you better not be late."

I laugh a little. "I won't be." Especially when there is much more to this man than meets the eye.


	3. Chapter 3: Jar of Hearts

**Worked on this most of the day. It's mainly songs, but I felt that they were appropriately relevant. Feel free to favorite, follow, and review.  
DISCLAIMER: I do not own The Rise of the Guardians, "Gives You Hell" by All-American Rejects, "Truly, Madly, Deeply" by Savage Garden, or "Jar of Hearts" by Christina Perri.**

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**Chapter 3: Jar of Hearts**

My mind is still reeling from my encounter with the new Mythology and Folklore teacher, Jamie Bennett, when I settle into my seat in Mr. Williams's Music Composition and Performance class. Basically, this class lets us just write songs or perform other songs that people have already written. Sometimes we do shows or help the theater and drama classes, but that's not often.

I hold my breath as Ian walks into the classroom with Kristi clinging to his arm. My hands begin to shake as his eyes lock on mine before looking behind me and glaring. A hand rests on my shoulder, causing me to let out the breath I had been holding. Glancing back, I see JP and Devin. I touch JP's hand lightly, nodding. He smiles and sits down to my right, Devin to my left. A weight lifts from my shoulders, until I look back at Ian. Pain is evident in his eyes.

Confusion courses through me. 'Why does he look so miserable even though he's with Kristi? He seemed pretty happy to be with her on Friday. So what's different now?'

He gives a little smile that doesn't touch his eyes before he sits down next to Kristi, putting his arm around her shoulders and whispering in her ear. I look away from them, feeling sick to my stomach and tightness in my chest. I don't need this right before the performances.

Mr. Williams comes into the classroom as the bell rings, waiting for the class to be seated. "Alright class," he sings, "today is our presentation day! So exciting~!" He claps his hands together and sighs dreamily. "Well, cheer-e-o, my darling little songbirds. Sing! Sing to your heart's content!" Mr. Williams sits down in front of Ian and Kristi, in front of the stage. Looking at his roll, he randomly calls a name. "Kristina Jane Newman. You're up, darling!"

She stands up, tossing her hair as she trots on-stage. Looking over at Ian, she blows him a kiss. Devin makes a gagging sound next to me. Kristi hears and glares at him before turning her glare on me. She smirks, saying, "I'd like to dedicate this song to a very 'special' person to me." She nods to the DJ, still smirking before she begins singing.

I recognize the song the moment that the music starts.

_I wake up every evening  
With a big smile on my face  
And it never feels out of place  
And you're still probably working  
At a nine to five pace  
I wonder how bad that tastes_

Kristi sneers, starting the chorus.

_When you see my face  
Hope it gives you hell  
Hope it gives you hell  
When you walk my way  
Hope it gives you hell  
Hope it gives you hell_

_Now where's your picket fence, love_  
_And where's that shiny car_  
_And did it ever get you far_  
_You never seemed so tense, love_  
_I've never seen you fall so hard_  
_Do you know where you are_

_And truth be told I miss you_  
_And truth be told I'm lying_

So the whole time that we were supposed to be best friends, she was just pretending? I don't know how I can believe that. Not after everything we went through together.

_When you see my face  
Hope it gives you hell  
Hope it gives you hell  
When you walk my way  
Hope it gives you hell  
Hope it gives you hell  
If you find a man that's worth a damn and treats you well  
Then he's a fool you're just as well_

I feel Devin and JP tense beside me. Their anger is increasing with each word Kristi sings. They don't enjoy being insulted and called "fools."

_Hope it gives you hell  
Hope it gives you hell_

_Tomorrow you'll be thinking to yourself_  
_Where'd it all go wrong?_  
_But the list goes on and on_

What did I seriously do to deserve this treatment? Kristi was like the sister I never had; she was the sister I wished I had. What did I end up doing that made her act this way?

_And truth be told I miss you  
And truth be told I'm lying_

_When you see my face_  
_Hope it gives you hell_  
_Hope it gives you hell_  
_When you walk my way_  
_Hope it gives you hell_  
_Hope it gives you hell_  
_When you find a man that's worth a damn and treats you well_  
_Then he's a fool, you're just as well_  
_Hope it gives you hell_

_Now you'll never see_  
_What you've done to me_  
_You can take back your memories_  
_They're no good to me_

So what are the five years that we were "friends" good for?

_And here's all your lies  
You can't look me in the eyes  
With the sad, sad look  
That you wear so well_

I look down at my hands, completely embarrassed.

_When you see my face  
Hope it gives you hell  
Hope it gives you hell  
When you walk my way  
Hope it gives you hell  
Hope it gives you hell  
When you find a man that's worth a damn and treats you well  
Then he's a fool you're just as well  
Hope it gives you hell_

_When you see my face_  
_Hope it gives you hell_  
_Hope it gives you hell_  
_When you walk my way_  
_Hope it gives you hell_  
_Hope it gives you hell_  
_When you hear this song and you sing along but you never tell_  
_Then you're the fool, I'm just as well_  
_Hope it gives you hell_

Of course I'm going through hell. I thought that Kristi was my best friend, and I was betrayed. How could I recover from a blow like that?

_When you hear this song  
I hope that it will treat you well_

_You can sing along_  
_I hope that it puts you through hell_

Tears are brimming on the edges of my eyes by the end of the song. I had thought that I'd known Kristi, but apparently I didn't. The Kristi I knew would never have been this mean. She was naïve and could have a temper, but she never held a grudge or was deliberately mean. This can't be the real Kristi, can it?

People slowly clap after Kristi finishes singing and sits down, cuddling up to Ian. "Uhm…that was…different from the normal," Mr. Williams starts, "but different is good. Different is exhilarating!" Looking down his list, he calls on the next "victim." "Let's go with…Ian Patrick Jones."

Ian gulps and slowly walks on-stage. He's visibly shaking. "I'd like to dedicate this song to someone that I care about, but whom may not know it." He takes a deep breath. Then, he sings.

_I'll be your dream, I'll be your wish, I'll be your fantasy.  
I'll be your hope, I'll be your love, be everything that you need.  
I love you more with every breath, truly madly deeply do  
I will be strong, I will be faithful 'cause I'm counting on a new beginning.  
A reason for living. A deeper meaning.  
_

I remember the time that I first met Ian; I was eleven and had just moved to Burgess. He and his mother came over to greet my mother, my father, and I at our house. We instantly became the best of friends.

_I want to stand with you on a mountain.  
I want to bathe with you in the sea.  
I want to lay like this forever.  
Until the sky falls down on me_

I remember when Ian and I laid on the roof of his house all night watching the stars when we were twelve. We had only known each other for about nine months, and still, he accepted me when others didn't.

_And when the stars are shining brightly in the velvet sky,  
I'll make a wish send it to heaven then make you want to cry  
The tears of joy for all the pleasure and the certainty.  
That we're surrounded by the comfort and protection of  
The highest power, in lonely hours, the tears devour you  
_

I remember when my father was murdered. Ian was the only one that could find me when I was on his roof, crying; and he was the only one that could stop the tears.

_I want to stand with you on a mountain,  
I want to bathe with you in the sea.  
I want to lay like this forever,  
Until the sky falls down on me  
_

I close my eyes, sighing. I remember on my sixteenth birthday, when Ian and I were laying on his roof like when we did when we were younger, how he and I came so close to kissing before my mom called me and told me to come home.

_Oh can you see it baby?  
You don't have to close your eyes  
'Cause it's standing right before you.  
All that you need will surely come  
_

I wish I could believe that Ian was the one for me, like I had been wishing he was since we first met. But how can I believe that now, now that he's with Kristi?

_I'll be your dream, I'll be your wish, I'll be your fantasy.  
I'll be your hope, I'll be your love, be everything that you need.  
I'll love you more with every breath, truly madly deeply do_

_I want to stand with you on a mountain_  
_I want to bathe with you in the sea._  
_I want to lay like this forever._  
_Until the sky falls down on me_

_I want to stand with you on a mountain_  
_I want to bathe with you in the sea._  
_I want to live like this forever._  
_Until the sky falls down on me_

Ian stares in my direction, but I can't meet his eyes. I can't be sure of how I feel anymore. I don't even know if I feel anything toward him anymore. I watch Ian as he sits down next to Kristi. The emotion that his eyes contained earlier while he was singing is missing.

"Valentina Aster Johnson," Mr. Williams calls, snapping me out of my trance.

"What?" I mumble.

"You're up, Val," JP whispers.

"Oh." I stand up, making the excruciatingly long procession to the stage, stopping by the DJ on the way and handing him my new song. Moving up to the microphone, I take a deep breath. Looking over at Devin and JP, they both give me reassuring smiles. I turn a little, staring in the direction of Ian and Kristi. I begin to sing as the music plays.

_No I can't take one more step towards you  
Cause all that's waiting is regret  
Don't you know I'm not your ghost anymore  
You lost the love I loved the most  
_

It's when I saw Kristi and Ian together that my heart shattered.

_I learned to live half alive  
And now you want me one more time...  
_

My life is finally returning to some sort of normalcy, but it still doesn't feel like I'm whole.

_And who do you think you are  
Running around leaving scars  
Collecting your jar of hearts  
And tearing love apart,  
You're gonna catch a cold  
From the ice inside your soul  
So don't come back for me.  
Who do you think you are?_

_I hear you're asking all around_  
_If I am anywhere to be found_  
_But I have grown too strong_  
_To ever fall back in your arms_

He keeps trying to talk to me and be near me like before, but there's no way that that can happen now. Ian lost my trust when he lost my love.

_And I've learned to live half alive  
And now you want me one more time_

_And who do you think you are_  
_Running around leaving scars_  
_Collecting your jar of hearts,_  
_And tearing love apart_  
_You're gonna catch a cold_  
_From the ice inside your soul_  
_Don't come back for me_  
_Who do you think you are?_

_And it took so long just to feel alright_  
_Remember how to put back the light in my eyes_  
_I wish I had missed the first time that we kissed_  
_Cause you broke all your promises_  
_And now you're back_  
_You don't get to get me back_

Ian and I may not have kissed, but we came pretty damn close. There is one thing he always promised me though: that he would never hurt me, or let anyone else hurt me. It turns out that it was just a lie.

_And who do you think you are  
Running around leaving scars  
Collecting your jar of heart  
And tearing love apart  
You're gonna catch a cold  
From the ice inside your soul  
So don't come back for me  
Don't come back at all!_

_And who do you think you are_  
_Running around leaving scars_  
_Collecting your jar of hearts_  
_And tearing love apart_  
_You're gonna catch a cold_  
_From the ice inside your soul_  
_Don't come back for me_  
_Don't come back at all_  
_Who do you think you are?_  
_Who do you think you are?_  
_Who do you think you are?_

I end the song, gasping for air and clutching my chest. I overdid the song, trying to get a point across to them. I stumble over to my chair that has my jacket on it, looking for my inhaler. "Shit!" I exclaim quietly. "I left my inhaler at home." Black spots dance across my vision from the lack of oxygen. I fall to my knees on the floor.

Someone yells something above me. Strong, cold hands help me stand, grasping under my arms as the person helps me stagger out of the room to the nurse's office. I hear two voices above me: they're male. One of them picks me up; he feels warmer than the other. I feel the movement of doors opening before I pass out.

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**CLIFF HANGER!**

**If you have any requests or suggestions for what you want to happen in the story, I'm more than happy to take them into consideration. :)**


	4. Chapter 4: Meeting Jack Frost

**Hopefully this chapter clears up some stuff ^_^ Hope you like it.**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own The Rise of the Guardians.**

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**Chapter 4: Meeting Jack Frost**

Everything is white, covered with snow. As I walk, there is a slight crunch as my feet break through a thin layer of frost. I inhale, cold air filling my lungs and burning my throat. Pain slams against my chest, only to be numbed by the cold. And yet, I don't feel cold.

I keep walking until I reach a snow-shrouded forest. Snow is falling gently; everything is so peaceful. Yet there is no one here. The landscape seems familiar; I let my instincts guide my feet as I turn to the left. A brisk wind blows, scattering snow into the air and stinging my lips. My eyes are watering as I reach a pond similar to the one that is behind my house. Standing by a boulder is the first sign of life I've seen so far: a person. I assume that it's a male. He is wearing a brown, hooded cape over a white long-sleeve shirt and brown vest along with brown pants that are slightly frayed at the bottom of the legs. He is carrying a staff and isn't wearing any shoes.

The boy notices my approach. "You shouldn't be here. You need to go back to where you came," he tells me over the wind.

"How can I go back? It's so peaceful here," I murmur softly.

"You belong in the other world. Not here," the boy says.

I shake my head as I walk closer. "If I don't belong here, then neither do you. What are you doing here?"

"I was sent to bring you back."

"By whom?" I narrow my eyes against the wind.

"It does not matter right now. It is my priority to keep you safe. I can't explain it to you right now. But I will. In time," he says cryptically.

"How can I know that I can trust you?"

I can see his smirk from beneath his hood. "You can't. You can only trust your heart."

"Where are we, though? I've never seen a place this beautiful."

"This is the place that special souls come before they pass on to the nether worlds," he explains.

"That doesn't make any sense," I tilt my head. "What you are basically saying is that this is where people come before they die. But…I'm not dead."

The boy smiles sadly. "You have been dead for several minutes. But there is still time for you to come back."

The wind starts to blow fiercer, stinging my skin and lips. The boy has disappeared in the snow.

"Please, please come back to me." The voice reminds me of the person that saved me from the snowstorm when I was ten.

The snow begins blowing into my eyes. Trying to blink it away, my vision begins to change; it alters between bright blue eyes and the snowy forest. The air I'm breathing is becoming warmer, and there is no pain in my chest.

Opening my eyes, I see Mr. Bennett standing by the door, speaking with the school nurse. I sit up slightly, looking around the room, still dazed from what happened. There is no sign of anyone else in the room. I frown, dangling my feet over the edge of the bed and hopping down, a little unsteady on my feet. I walk over to the sink and look in the mirror, slightly astonished. My lips look like they're either bruised or frostbitten. Touching my lips, they feel cold. I lick them, tasting a mixture of vanilla or mint, something crisp; I can't decide which.

Mr. Bennett finishes speaking with the nurse and comes over to me. I turn toward him. "Are you feeling okay?" he asks. "You're really lucky that you ran into me when you were trying to get to the nurse."

I frown. "Someone helped me walk. I didn't do it myself."

A twinkle appears in his eyes as he pushes up his glasses. "I see. And who was that?"

I blush. "I…don't know. I couldn't see." I hesitate "What…happened? After I passed out, I mean." _'Please don't tell me that I died. Just say that the weird dream I had was just a dream,'_ I silently plead.

"Well…," he starts pacing. "You had an asthma attack and passed out due to the lack of oxygen."

"Oh, is that all?" I laugh nervously. "I was afraid that I might have died. Glad that's all cleared up."

Mr. Bennett stares silently at me, making me shift from foot to foot. "By the time the nurse was able to administer the medicine, your heart had stopped, and you quit breathing. CPR and mouth-to-mouth had to be performed, not by me though," he murmurs as he glances out the open window. Looking over the top of his glasses, he says, "You almost weren't able to be revived. You're incredibly lucky; you were dead for almost fifteen to twenty minutes. You've been unconscious for longer though. It's almost time for seventh period." He nods at my backpack and jacket by the wall. "You're friends brought your stuff after you came here."

"JP and Devin?" I ask.

He nods. "I believe that was them."

I sigh, running my fingers through my hair.

"Is something wrong?" Mr. Bennett smiles.

"It's…," I start, but hesitate. Should I really tell him? Taking a deep breath, I begin again. "It's the fact that there's this person that I keep seeing, but nobody else seems to be able to see him, and I'm beginning to wonder if I'm still sane, if it's just a figment of my imagination, a ghost or spirit of some kind, or if I'm completely mentally unbalanced. The problem is that I feel like I've seen him before and that I should know him, but I _don't_. He reminds me of somebody that saved my life before when I was younger, but I don't even remember or know much if anything about the person."

"Hmmm. I see." He rubs his chin. "I'd like you to stay after, after my class. There are some things that I would like to share with you. I'll okay it with your mother." His eyes gleam mischievously. "For now, we need to get to class before the herd begins stampeding down the halls." He shakes his head, laughing. "Kids these days."

Mr. Bennett hands me my jacket but carries my backpack. "So your mother told me you moved to Burgess when you were ten or eleven. How do you like it here?"

"It's pretty cool here. I've still had a pretty hard time adjusting and making friends." I shrug. "School's good. The teachers are nice." I pause, thinking. "The winters are the best part: ice-skating, sledding, snow boarding, snow ball fights, snow angels." I sigh, closing my eyes. "The best times of my life."

He chuckles. "You remind me of one of my childhood friends." He stops, opening the door to his classroom. The bell rings a few seconds later. "Well that was lucky."

I take a seat to the far right of the classroom after getting my backpack from Mr. Bennett. JP and Devin are the first through the door, talking quietly together until they see me. Devin drops his bag and runs over to me, lifting me off the ground and spinning me around in circles. "There's my favorite little Cupid. Almost thought you died on us, after you ran out of class."

"Dev," I gasp. "Stop before I get sick."

"Oh." He chuckles. "Sorry, Cupid." Devin sets me down in my desk, my head spinning. "Are you okay?"

"I will be. Especially when my head stops spinning."

JP gives me a hug from behind and kisses the top of my head. "Glad you're okay." They sit down by me. "You look really cute when you're asleep."

"_Uhhh… I wasn't asleep, not for all of it anyways," _I think to myself.

"So what exactly happened?" JP whispers.

"Well," I murmur, "I had an asthma attack because of how I had been singing. I was able to get to the nurse, but I passed out. They were able to get me some medicine, and I was fine…after I was dead for fifteen to twenty minutes," I mumble at the end.

"Okay. That's good." Devin smiles, before the realization strikes him, his smile falling from his face. "Wait. You were what?!"

"Dead. I was dead." I grimace. "What did you think I said?"

"What was it like?" JP asks.

"Well…" The bell rings. I clear my throat. "I'll tell you later." I turn around, facing Mr. Bennett's desk. He smiles at me before taking roll.

After finishing the roll, Mr. Bennett says, "Well, class. As all of you should but may not know, Mr. Grayson passed away on Friday-"

"That was on Cupid's blog!" someone from the back of the class bursts out.

I grin a little and sink into my seat.

Mr. Bennett clears his throat. "Anyways, since he passed away, I am going to be your new Mythology and Folklore teacher. My name is Jamie Bennett. I used to live in Burgess when I was younger. In fact, I graduated from this very high school. Regardless, I've recently moved back to Burgess and am happy to be teaching such a wonderful group of students. Do you have any questions for me?"

"Is there currently a Mrs. Bennett in your life?" one of the cheerleaders asked, popping her gum.

"Unless you count my mother, no." He narrows his eyes.

"Do you want there to be?" she asks, popping her gum again.

"No, and if you don't get rid of your gum, you'll be going to the principal's office to be suspended."

There is silence before someone asks, "How old are you?"

"I'm twenty-seven," he sighs.

I raise my hand.

"Yes, Val?"

"What's the first thing that we will be learning about in this class?" I ask. Groans rise from half the class.

Mr. Bennett smiles. "I thought that we could learn about the Guardians, but first, we need to take a pre-test to determine what you already know about common Mythology and Folklore before we begin to cover any material." He grabs a stack of papers before passing them out. "I want each of you to fill out this paper and turn it in at the end of class. You may _not _work in groups or with partners." This earns more groans from the class. "Try to fill out as much as possible for each question. You may begin."

I look at the clock: only about thirty minutes until the end of class. Looking over the paper, I realize that the questions are really broad and simple. I smile. I'm starting to really like this teacher, even though I do have the suspicion that he might be lying about not giving me mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.

I quickly finish the so-called "quiz" and turn the paper over, drawing curlicues on the back. The teacher calls time when only five minutes remain in class, asking me to help gather the papers while he phones my mom. I hand the papers to him as the bell rings.

As JP and Devin are about to leave, they notice that I'm still sitting at my desk. "Come on, Val. Whatcha waiting for?" Devin asks.

I clear my throat. "Mr. Bennett needs to speak to me…about the earlier incident I had."

"See you later, I guess," JP says. They bid their farewells, and I am left alone in the room with Mr. Bennett. He stands up and locks the door. My eyes widen.

"I'm not going to hurt you. I just have a few questions I need to ask you, but first," he says, sitting down at his desk, "I'm going to tell you a story. You may chose to believe it or dismiss it as a fairy tale if you so desire."

I nod my head. "Okay."

He smiles, beginning his story. "Some time ago, there was a boy who believed in the Guardians, the ones from the fairy tales: Santa Claus, the Tooth Fairy, Sandman, and the Easter Bunny. He believed in them fiercely, and never stopped believing in them. One day, however, the Boogeyman, also known as Pitch, began to make the world's children stop believing in the Guardians, despite how the Guardians fought against him. There was finally only one boy left that believed in them, since he had met them. However, he was beginning to doubt whether they existed or not. The boy did not stop believing, though, because one person was able to prove to him that they did exist, re-establishing his faith in the Guardians and allowing him to believe in the person that proved this to him. The boy went with this person to help his friends re-believe in the Guardians so that they could fight Pitch. It was because of the person, the boy, and the boy's friends that the Guardians were able to defeat Pitch and allow the world's children to safely believe in the Guardians again." He stops, leaning forward on his desk. "Tell me what you think of this."

"Well…it's…certainly plausible that it could have happened, though it does seem a little far-fetched," I say, biting my lip.

"Well, let me ask you this. Do you believe in the Guardians?" he asks.

"I mean, I did when I was little."

"No. Do you believe in the Guardians right now?"

I gulp. "Well, kind of, sort of…yes." I sigh. "Yes, I do."

"Do you believe the story I told you?"

"Yes."

"That story is indeed true. I was the boy that helped the Guardians along with my friends and someone that is very important to me."

I tilt my head to the side, confused.

"What is your opinion about the existence of Jack Frost?"

"Jack Frost?" I raise my eyebrows. "Well, I do believe he exists…but I don't see how any of this is relevant."

Mr. Bennett smiles. "Everything I asked you is relevant." He pauses. "I'd like you to meet somebody important to me. A friend of mine."

A cold wind blows a pair of windows open behind me. The boy with the blue hoodie and no shoes lands beside Mr. Bennett's desk.

The boy pushes back the hood he is wearing, revealing snow white hair and ice blue eyes that I've seen several times before.

"Valentina Aster Johnson, I would like you to meet my friend. Jack Frost."

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**And thank you to everyone that has been reviewing, following, or favoriting this story.**

**Lover chocolate, you were correct about the two people at the end of the last chapter being Jack and Jamie, but you aren't quite right about Ian using Kristi. There is a reason for her apparent betrayal of Val. That comes into play and is made evident further in the plot. I didn't just do that to make Kristi and Ian seem like bad people and to hurt Val. Everything has its purpose.**

**I'm glad that everyone's liking the story so far :)**


	5. Chapter 5: Ice-Skating

**Sorry that I didn't update last night. I had a big history test that I needed to study for, so I wasn't able to finish the chapter until today. Hope you like it ^_^**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own The Rise of the Guardians.**

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**Chapter 5: Ice-skating**

"Valentina Aster Johnson, I would like you to meet my friend. Jack Frost."

"Hey." Jack winks. "We almost thought that we lost you for good." He frowns.

I touch my lips. "That was you?"

Jack nods, smirking. "You're welcome, milady." He bows.

My face turns bright red as I stand up. "Please excuse me." Without a word, I grab my backpack, walk to the open window, and jump out. I'm in too much of a daze to think clearly as my feet guide me to a well-known place. Today has been the longest day of my life, it seems, and I don't know how much more I can take.

My feet continue to take me to the path that leads to the pond in the forest. I sit down near the edge of the pond, bringing my knees up to my chest, and thinking.

I know that I've always believed in the Guardians and Jack Frost, but it feels so much more…different actually knowing that they do exist. Being able to actually see them. It makes me wonder why I've never seen them before, before now.

The sound of footsteps approaching startles me. Looking up, I see Jack Frost walking toward me. My eyes widen as I blush. "Sorry for running away like that," I mumble. "I just…need time to think. To process everything."

"I understand," he says, sitting next to me. He's silent for a while, twirling his staff.

I study Jack from the corner of my eye. His snow-white hair gleams like ice in the sun. Frost coats the shoulders and wrists of his dark blue hoodie. His skin is extremely pale, with just the slightest hint of freckles. His eyebrows are furrowed in deep thought. His eyes…well, they are eyes that make you melt whenever he stares at you or steals glances at you, like he's doing right now.

Suddenly, Jack takes my hand and stands up, making me stand up with him. "You love the winter, right?"

A wide grin appears on my face. "Of course," I say. "More than anything."

He smirks. "Then you better stay close and keep your eyes closed," he says as he pulls me against him, his breath on my face. He's only a couple of inches taller than I am.

I blush from the closeness before putting my head against his shoulder and closing my eyes, feeling him breathe. He puts one arm around me, raising the one with the staff.

"You can open your eyes now," Jack whispers in my ear.

I open my eyes, looking into his eyes. Glancing around, my eyes widen. Everything around us is covered in snow and ice. The pond is completely frozen. Beyond the ring of trees surrounding the pond, it's still autumn, but in the clearing here, it's a winter wonderland.

Jack pets my hair, brushing off the snow that was on it. I wrinkle my nose as a snowflake lands on my nose. Jack laughs. "They always seem to do that, don't they?" he says, wiping it off my nose.

"Yeah, it does," I murmur, smiling.

"Come on." Jack takes my hand, pulling me toward the pond. "It'll be fun."

I hesitate before stepping onto the ice. It certainly feels solid enough.

"I know you've gone ice-skating here before. Don't try to act like you haven't." He smirks at me, letting go of my hand and crossing his arms.

"Stalker," I joke, sticking my tongue out. "I had my ice-skates then. And I don't right now, so I don't feel as comfortable. And you're holding my hand, which is really, really," I pause, looking for the right word, "distracting."

"So I'm a distraction?" he says, raising his eyebrow.

"Less of a distraction; more distracting. Especially because you-" I stop.

"I, what?" he says, stepping closer.

"Well." I clear my throat. "You technically… You practically…"

He takes another step toward me. "Yes? Do continue."

I take a deep breath. "You technically kissed me when you gave me mouth-to-mouth. Given, I know you were just trying to save my life, and you did, and I'm grateful. But I barely know you, and it's just a little too freaky that I died, yet I'm still alive right now," I say in one breath.

I take a step back, stepping on the back of my jeans. I slip, beginning to fall.

"Hold on!" Jack exclaims, rushing forward and grabbing me around the waist to keep me from falling over. However, our combined momentums cause us to slide and land in a snowdrift. He lands halfway on top of me, our faces very close together, his arms supporting most of his upper body.

"Hi," I say with a grin.

"Hi," he replies. "Did anyone ever tell you that you have really pretty blue eyes?"

I look away. "_You_ just did."

He turns my head toward him. "I'm being serious." His ice-blue eyes are gentle.

"Oh?" I raise an eyebrow. "Mr. Guardian-of-Fun is being serious?" I joke.

He chuckles. "You're right," Jack says, standing up. "Let's ice-skate." He holds out his hand.

I take his hand, not hesitating this time. He twirls me out on to the ice where I glide gracefully to a stop. "Care to join me?" I ask.

"No. I think I'll just watch," Jack murmurs, smirking as he leans against a tree.

I frown. "But I can't skate alone now that I know you're watching me."

Jack sighs. "Alright. I'll join you." He flies upward and then lands directly in front of me, catching me off guard.

"Eeek!" I begin falling backwards, but he catches me, holding me around the waist.

"Don't worry." He smiles. "I won't let you fall."

I just nod, staring into his eyes. _'I think I've already fallen, though,'_ I think to myself.

He helps me stand upright, taking my hand and leading me around the pond. Jack is quiet. After a few laps, he begins talking. "You know, I used to live here a long time ago. When Pennsylvania was still a colony. When I was still alive." He's quiet for a moment before continuing. "The day that I died, I had taken my little sister ice-skating. On this very pond, actually. The ice was beginning to crack under her. I was able to pull her out of the way, but I fell in, instead. After that, I died, but the Man in the Moon chose for me to be reborn as the Spirit of Winter. But I had no remembrance of who I was before my death for about three hundred years. It wasn't until about seventeen years ago, during the battle with Pitch, that I was able to uncover who I was before." He glances at me. Lowering his voice and pulling me closer, he whispers, "We think that he's gaining power again…and that someone may be helping him. We don't know who yet." He frowns before spinning us in a circle.

I let go of his hands, sliding to the edge of the pond near the boulder. Sitting down, I take my shoes off. I walk back over to Jack. "So how long have you been watching over me?"

"Since…" He mumbles the rest under his breath.

"What was that?" I grin, walking closer.

"Since you were…" He mumbles the rest.

"I still don't think I heard you." I walk up to him, putting my hands on his chest.

"Since you were ten." He shrugs. "You know. Snowstorm. Alaska. Around Christmas time."

I smile. "I thought that it might have been you. But everyone didn't believe me. I still believed in you though. Even more so with every time that they told me that you didn't exist." I lean my head against his shoulder. Being around Jack feels so comfortable and familiar, like I was close to him before. My body shakes at the thought.

He wraps his arms around me. "Thank you," he whispers, "for always believing."

"I'm glad I still did. I'd be dead if it weren't for you."

He strokes my hair. "I want to show you something." He pulls back, taking my hand. "Do you trust me?"

"Of course," I reply immediately.

Jack smiles. "Good. Now close your eyes."

I reluctantly close my eyes. Wind whips around me, and my stomach flips.

"You can open your eyes now," Jack whispers in my ear.

Opening my eyes, I gasp as I see that we're flying over one hundred feet off the ground. I squeeze Jack's hand, a little nervous.

"Hey, just breathe. It's like a roller coaster. It's fun." He begins shifting slowly around until I become used to the feel of flying. Eventually we're spinning around in circles and doing flips and loop-the-loops. The scariest part is when we fly over the ocean, and Jack "accidentally" lets go of my hand; I'm pretty sure I pass out.

"Have you ever seen Paris at night during the winter?" he asks.

I shake my head. "This is the first time that I've ever been out of the country before now."

"Well today's your lucky day."

I gasp as he flies me to the top of the Eiffel Tower, placing me on the highest stable part of the tower and keeping me toward the center of the tower by a pole.

"Wait here," he says, flying off.

Looking down, I watch the people. Everything is so small from up here; the people look like ants, and the lights look like stars. Suddenly, snow begins to fall as Jack returns, standing in front of me and placing his arms on either side of my body.

"Well?" he asks. "What do you think?" His eyes sparkle.

"It's amazing. Thank you."

His look turns to one of concern. "Are you okay? You look like you're getting a bit cold," he says, putting his hand on my cheek.

My heart is in my throat, the blood rushing to my cheeks. _'Jack is really…really…_really_ close to me.'_

"We better start heading back now." Jack pulls away, a confused look on his face. Taking my hand, we fly back across to Burgess, landing on the center of the frozen pond. The moon is high in the sky when we return; it must be around midnight.

I yawn as I skate circles around Jack. "Thank you, by the way."

"For what?" he asks.

"For saving my life. Not in the literal sense, even though you did that too. I mean the fact that just the fact that you exist had given me a reason for life. Without you, I really don't know what would have happened with my life." I hug him.

I feel him smile as he murmurs, "Same here."

I yawn again, feeling Jack lift me bridal style as he flies to my balcony. He takes the key from my jacket pocket, unlocking the door. Closing my eyes, I hold on to him tighter. "Don't leave me," I murmur.

He chuckles. "We'll see each other again. Promise," he says as he pulls back the comforter on my bed, setting me down.

"I had a lot of fun tonight, Jack." I yawn. "We should do something like this again." My eyelids become heavier.

Jack smiles. "Don't worry. We will. Promise." He glances out the window, watching golden sand float through the sky toward my room. "Good night, Val." He begins floating, about to fly off.

A strong impulse suddenly takes over me. "Jack! Wait!" I call, running towards him. He drops back down, meeting my hug. My lips brush his cheek. "See you tomorrow, Jack. I promise." I ask, "And could you return my shoes and backpack? Please?"

"I will. I promise." He smirks, flying off as I return to bed and fall asleep, happy.

* * *

**Unknown Point-of-View**

I watch from the shadows as Jack and the girl return. I can tell that they are falling for each other, meaning that my plan didn't work. Father will not be pleased. Especially since she is not dead yet. She must die in order for Father's plan to work. I still have time. Hopefully.

I grit my teeth as they hug, a sour feeling in my gut. _I _am the one who was meant for Jack. That's supposed to be _me_. I shake my head in disgust as he picks the girl up, flying to her room.

This would have been easier if she had died today. It would have been even easier if she had died back when she was ten, like she was supposed to have died. It just means that I have even more work to do.

Sighing, I float behind them, staying hidden among the shadows. There must be something I can do to make them not fall in love. I just have to make sure that they don't have their first true kiss.

I grip my chest in pain as I watch the two in the girl's room. A black tear rolls down my face, landing in the snow. I shake my head, becoming angry.

I will succeed. I must help Father become stronger than the Guardians. Then we can rule a world filled with pain, fear, death, and darkness. The obstacle to our success lies in that girl.

* * *

**And a new antagonist enters the scene!**

**Tell me what you think :)**


	6. Chapter 6: May I Have This Dance?

**I finally was able to finish this chapter. ...Stupid school work... Anyways, I finally finished it. I hope you like it. ^_^**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own The Rise of the Guardians.**

* * *

**Chapter 6: May I Have This Dance?**

The past week and a half have been like a dream. Every night, I would sneak out of the house to go ice-skating with Jack. We'd talk, and then he would fly me to a different place every night. At school, JP and Devin became my closest friends, noticing when I was becoming slightly distant. I finally had to explain to them about Jack. They didn't believe me at first until Jack and I were able to convince them that Jack does exist. Needless to say, they were speechless and developed a new respect for Mr. Bennett's class. I was even able to help Devin break up with his girlfriend that had been cheating on him and found him a new one that actually values him for himself, not his popularity.

Today, however, I have something very important to do that I don't really want to do: shopping. I know there's the stereotype that girls love to go shopping, but I seriously don't. The dance is tomorrow though, so I need to buy a dress/Halloween costume. Since I don't have any girl friends to go with, Jack, JP, and Devin volunteered to go with me. I personally think that they just want to see me in a dress.

We walk through the store until we reach the girls' Halloween costumes. Just looking at the dresses, I feel a sinking feeling in my gut. A lot of these dresses are kind of…well, really revealing.

"Hey!" Devin calls, holding up a bright red, tight, low-cut, she-devil dress.

I smack his arm, glaring at him. "Nooo, I am _not_ wearing that. One, it would make me look like a slut. And two, red does _not_ go with my skin tone."

He shrugs. "It was just a suggestion," he says, still looking at the outfit.

"And do _not_ get that for Marissa. She would kill you," I add.

Devin pouts, finally putting the outfit back.

JP and Devin walk to one side of the section while Jack and I go the other way.

"See anything?" I ask Jack.

"Not really." He stares at me. "Why are you going anyways?"

I shrug. "It's something fun to do."

Jack goes off down another aisle. _'I think he's probably jealous because I'm 'officially' going with JP.'_ I frown, browsing through the costumes on the shelf. I sigh, mumbling, "Why do people even where stuff like this?" I shake my head.

My hand stops on one of the dresses, my eyes widening. Taking it off the shelf, I hurry to the changing rooms, making sure that none of the guys see me.

Closing the door to the changing room, I hold up the outfit at arms' length. The dress is strapless with a small band of white faux fur around the top. The bodice is a pale, baby blue. It's dotted with silver sparkles, making it look like it is covered in frost. Below that and just above the waist, there is a thin dark blue section that is studded with silver rhinestones. From the waist down, the fabric is cut and arranged in such a way that it looks like large white feathers. It has the texture of feathers too. The outfit comes with two small, white angel wings and a silver halo.

I sigh, putting my hair into a high bun, leaving a few curly wisps of hair down that frame my face. I take off my shoes, socks, and clothes before pulling on the dress and wings. It takes a little concentration, but I'm able to zip up the dress. I put the halo over my bun. Staring at my reflection in the mirror, I blush; the outfit actually looks really good.

Sticking my head out the door, I spot the guys talking nearby. I clear my throat, motioning for them to come closer. Exhaling, I say, "I want your honest opinion about what I'm wearing."

"Yeah, no problem," JP murmurs.

"Anything you need, Cupid," Devin smirks.

Jack nods, staring into my eyes.

I take a deep breath and step out of the changing room. The look that goes over the guys' faces is priceless. Their mouths drop, and their eyes widen.

"You look…," Jack begins, a slight blush on his face, "beautiful. Like a snow angel." He steps forward, brushing his hand along my cheek.

"Th-thank you," I stutter, blushing.

"Heh. You're welcome," he says, his blue eyes intense and that infamous smirk is on his face.

JP clears his throat, glaring at Jack. Jack puts his arm around my shoulders and glares back at him.

"We should get going," JP mutters. "It's getting dark out."

"We'll walk you home, Val," Devin says, completely oblivious to the obvious male rivalry between Jack and JP.

"You remind me of the Kangaroo," Jack hisses at JP.

"What kangaroo?" JP frowns.

"Exactly." Jack smirks.

I clear my throat. "I'm going to go get dressed now."

"Okay, snow angel," Jack murmurs.

I sigh, a blush apparent on my cheeks. Going into the changing room, I switch clothes as quickly as I can. Leaving the room, I walk toward the nearest check-out station and pay for the outfit, painfully aware of JP and Jack glaring at each other over the top of my head with Devin being completely ignorant of the situation. Either that or he doesn't really care.

We exit the store, heading toward the intersection that divides our houses. JP stops us when we arrive at the intersection. "I know that you live in the opposite direction as Devin and me, but I can always walk you home really quick before I head home, just to make sure that you get there safely." He glances at Jack. "Especially since it would be assumed that you're alone." Jack and JP exchange glares.

"As much as I appreciate the offer, Jack can just fly me home, so there wouldn't be any worries about being robbed, kidnapped, raped, etc." I say with a smile.

JP still doesn't look convinced.

"Look. It would probably be like a thousand times safer having Jack walk or fly me home. There's a chance that if someone did try to do something to me, you would get caught in the fray and get hurt. With Jack, he would have the element of surprise and could easily just freeze the person solid, if it was absolutely necessary." I glance at Jack. "I'm not advocating freezing people, mind you."

Jack rolls his eyes. "I know, snowflake." He takes my hand, pulling me closer to him before we fly to my house, landing on the balcony outside my room. He holds me close to him for a while with his head against mine before sighing and pulling away with a sad smile on his face. He floats up to the balcony rail. "I'll see you some time tomorrow."

I frown. "Where are you going?"

"I need to speak with someone…about something important."

"Will you at least be back in time for the dance?" I ask, hopeful.

Jack looks down. "I'll try to be back as soon as possible." He pauses before adding, "I promise."

I nod, shifting from one foot to the other. "Okay." I look down, about to turn away, but Jack jumps down and puts one hand on my shoulder with the other one under my chin, making me meet his eyes.

"Listen," he says softly. "What I have to do tomorrow is really important, and it could help determine a lot about the future. But you're also really important…to me. I will be here as soon as I finish what I need to do. I promise I will; and you know that I never break my promises." He smiles before kissing my forehead then my nose, sending a furious blush to my face. He laughs as he flies away.

"Jack Frost!" I yell out to him. I see him stop, turning to face me. "You better be careful and get your ass back here tomorrow. And you better not keep me waiting!"

Hearing his laughter, I smile as a snowflake lands on my nose, again. "What is that?! Like, the twentieth time?!" I exclaim. Regardless, something about being around Jack, about Jack himself really, makes me feel so…I can't even find the words to describe it. My heartbeat quickens as I think about him.

I pick up my bag before walking inside to hang up my outfit in my closet. I already have the perfect shoes to go with it, so I didn't need to buy those. Changing into my pajamas, I plop onto my bed, sprawling out. This is the first night that I haven't gone ice-skating since I've met Jack. I frown. I wonder if something is wrong. Something must have come up about Pitch and his helper and how he's trying to gain enough power to come back and rule the world.

Sitting up, I pull my laptop on to my lap, powering it up as I pet Snow, my cat. I enter into the search bar "Pitch Black, the Boogeyman." Several entries pop up. The first three are irrelevant, but then I click on the fourth link. It's by…Jamie Bennett. Who would have thought?

Scrolling through the site, I find a lot of information about the Guardians. Near the bottom is a link for Pitch. Clicking on the link, it opens up, and I begin to read.

I sigh, rubbing my eyes after I finish reading the whole section about Pitch. I bookmark the site before shutting the computer down. Turning my lights off, I lay down in bed, curling up with Snow, my cat. There was a fair amount of information on the site, but the gist of it is that Pitch is the king of fear and darkness, and he nearly destroyed the Guardians in 2012 around Easter. My thoughts shift to Jack as I see the golden sand float through the sky; it slips through the doors as I fall asleep, thinking about Jack.

**Unknown Point-of-View**

We watch the girl from the shadows of her room. When the dream sand enters her room, she falls asleep. At that moment, Father glides over to her sleeping form, stroking her hair.

"Do not worry, Daughter," Father says to me. "Everything will fall in place with time. We will find a way to kill her, and with her death," he whispers, as he touches the dream sand around her head, causing a dream form of Jack to appear, "we will be able to destroy everything that Jack Frost holds dear. Then," he says, turning to me, "he will be yours."

"Yes, Father," I murmur, staring at the girl's dream.

Father turns the dream sand black as he slits Jack's throat.

I hear the girl whimper in her sleep as Father continues petting her long blonde hair. "Do not worry, little Valentine," he murmurs in her ear, "all will come to an end soon." Father glides back towards me.

"Father?" I whisper.

"Yes, Daughter?" he replies.

"I will need a new body soon. This one is weakening quickly." I gesture at the body's dark brown hair that is slowly turning blonde in sections and will eventually turn silver as the body's life energy drains away.

Father sighs. "I will find you a new one."

I glance at the girl. "Why can't I use hers?"

Father shakes his head. "Frost would notice the difference in her and would become distant. We need him to be close. That is when her death would hurt the most. When he would feel the most powerful and devastating pain possible."

I nod. "You're right like always, Father."

Father smiles, his teeth gleaming, before he envelops us in darkness.

**Normal Point-of-View (Val)**

I awaken, feeling a little shaken, as I watch the sun rising. My nerves feel like they're on edge. Trying to shake off the feeling, I go out onto my balcony before I feel a pang of loneliness. Jack's usually here when I wake up. Looking out across the lawn, I notice that it's coated with a thin layer of frost, signaling that Jack had been here. Smiling, I return to my room, heading for my closet before stopping, the smile falling from my face. There's a trace of black sand on the floor and wall. I think back to the article by Mr. Bennett: Pitch had turned the golden dream sand into black dream sand in order to create his army of nightmares. "Maybe that explains…" I shake my head, clearing my thoughts.

"Just focus on getting through the day, and try not to think too much about Jack," I mumble. "He's been on your mind enough as it is lately. You need to do well in school." That's easier said than done.

I take out the outfit I'm going to wear to school before I take my shower. I get dressed, deciding to let my hair air-dry so that it's curlier. Picking up my backpack, I head downstairs, grabbing something for breakfast before walking to school. I feel a little excited since I'll get to skip a lot of my classes today to help decorate for the dance that's somehow warped into more of a Halloween party. On the way, I meet up with JP and Devin, giving them each a hug. JP hugs me longer than necessary.

Clearing my throat, I push away a little.

"Sorry," JP mumbles, letting go of me.

"It's okay." We walk on in silence for a while. I ask, "Have you guys seen Jack?"

An icy look crosses JP's face. "No. I haven't. What's your obsession with him anyways?"

"Excuse me? What do you mean? I am _not_ obsessed."

"Oh? Really?" He raises his eyebrow as he walks backwards in front of me. Holding up his fingers, he counts. "Daydreaming, drawing pictures of him, flying off with him, exclusively talking to him when he sits with us. The blush that goes across your face when he compliments you or touches your hand or shoulder or when someone even mentions him. The smile that you get whenever he randomly shows up in Mr. Bennett's class or at lunch or anywhere we go." His eyes narrow. "It's almost like you would rather be around him than me…and Devin."

"Excuse me?! What do you even know about him? Or about me for that matter? You have no clue what he's been through. Jack's been alive for over three hundred years and doesn't have a family. He didn't even know that he had had a family until about seventeen years ago. He needs someone he can talk to, someone who cares."

"He has the Guardians."

"Who have their own commitments. They don't have the time in their schedules to be able to be around him like I do."

"See?! You're even defending him," JP says, his eyes darkening.

"You would want someone to defend you if you were in his position! It's my vow to help everyone that needs it. Anyone who really cares and believes in him would do the same. If anything, I would say that you're just jealous that he and I are friends!" I yell, my eyes watering.

"And I would say that you're in love with him instead of me!" he yells back. "I'm…I'm in love with you, Val. It burns me up when you're so happy around him, and I can't make you happy like that," he whispers, tears in his eyes. Before I can say anything, he walks off, leaving me with Devin who remained oblivious through the whole fight.

There's an ache in my chest. I'm not in love with JP, so why does this hurt so much? _"Is this a feeling of guilt? But I'm not in love with Jack….Am I?"_ I shake my head. _"No. He's just a close friend. He probably doesn't even like me like that either. But what if he did? ...No, that's impossible…but he did say I was important to him."_

"Agh! I'm so confused!" I exclaim, startling Devin who was talking to his girlfriend. "Sorry," I apologize, sighing and walking toward the front entrance as the bell rings.

It seems almost like my life is playing on repeat: I lost Kristi and Ian, Jack's started becoming distant, Devin is absorbed with his new girlfriend, and JP is pissed off at me. My dad was murdered, I've almost died twice, and my mom is suffering from depression and barely notices when I'm home and when I'm not. I have a blog on which people love me, but in school, the same people don't even notice me or even really care.

I sigh as I sit down in my desk in English a minute before the final bell rings. "I need to fix things with JP," I mumble, burying my face in my jacket. The bell rings. I can barely focus in English again, trying to think of what to say to him. English quickly passes, as the next bell rings. I rush to my math class, waiting for JP outside the class.

I walk up to him as he approaches the classroom. Touching his arm, I ask, "Can we talk?"

JP is quiet for a while before nodding, taking my hand and leading me outside. He takes me to a spot near the courtyard behind the gym, before he sits down.

"I'll be right back. We can start decorating after we talk." I jog into the gym quickly, receiving approval from Mrs. Reaver as I gather up a bunch of lights and take them to where JP is still sitting. I sit down next to him.

I clear my throat. "JP,…I want to apologize…for earlier."

He looks over at me. "I should be the one to apologize."

"No." I shake my head. "Just listen. When I was little, the only thing that really made me happy was the thought of winter and Jack Frost. I didn't have any friends, and it was just the thought of him coming and bringing the snow that would make me feel like I had someone. It seemed like he was answering my wishes, and it felt like I had a friend for the first time, even if nobody else believed in him. One day, when it started snowing, I decided to go out and look for him until I could find him." Looking over at JP, I ask, "Remember when I told you that someone had saved my life when I was little, but I didn't know who?"

He nods. "Yeah."

"Well, the snowstorm ended up turning into a white-out blizzard that I got stuck in. I didn't know where I was, I was so lost and cold and tired. I basically just curled up under a tree and hoped that someone would find me. And someone did. I didn't know who it was at the time, but it was actually Jack whom had saved me. That was the first time that he saved my life. The other time was almost two weeks ago when I had my asthma attack and died. It was Jack whom brought me back to life." I stare at JP as he begins to comprehend. "It feels like I'm indebted to him, and I want to do whatever I can to be able to do for him what he did for me. I don't know if I love him. I don't know if I _can _love anybody. I'm not even sure if I truly know what love means, either. I just know that with the bad past that I've had, I need to hold on to the people that I care about. You're one of those people; you're my friend, and I'm sorry that I haven't really been acting like it. If you will still let me, I'll go to the dance with you, as a friend."

JP is quiet for a while. He eventually says, "Yes. I still want to go to the dance with you. Even if you aren't in love with me, I want to have every opportunity to be around you. Even if it's just as friends." He smiles, giving me a small hug. "Thank you, for at least giving me a chance."

"It's not a problem," I whisper. I take his hand, standing up. "Now, let's start decorating."

"Okay." He smiles, taking one pile of lights. I take the other.

We spend most of the time hanging the lights on the lights around the courtyard and putting the nets over the bushes. After that, we hang the lanterns, spiders, ghosts, and bats all over the place. After lunch, Mrs. Reaver and Mr. Williams come out and help us set up the stage for the DJ. After that, we place the jack-o-lanterns and put candles inside them. We finish placing all of the streamers and hanging the banners before we begin setting up the tables, placing them on one edge of the courtyard and putting black and orange tablecloths over them.

"I think we're finished," JP says, wiping his forehead.

"Yeah." I look at my phone. "It's three o'clock. We better go." Walking into the gym, I find Mrs. Reaver sorting through boxes. "We finished everything. All that's left to do is set up the drinks and snacks."

"Thank you, Val, dear," Mrs. Reaver says, clasping my hands. "See you at the party later. Be safe."

"Will do, Mrs. R." I smile, heading out the door. The day passed faster than I thought. My smile begins fading. _"But there hasn't even been a trace of Jack today. He promised that he'd be here sometime today."_ I shake my head. "He'll be here," I murmur to myself. On the way to my house, I run into Devin saying good-bye to Marissa, who happens to be my new neighbor. After Devin leaves, I stop Marissa. "Hey, Ri-Ri."

"Hey, V-V," she says, smiling. "What can I do for you?"

"Well…can you do my hair for the dance? It won't take too long."

"Cool. I love hairstyling." She laughs, putting her arm around me. "Come on, neighbor. I'm going to make you _gor-ge-ous_. Even though you don't need that much work."

I laugh with her, leading her to my house and up to my room and bathroom after we stop by her house. "I was thinking of having my hair put into a high bun, with a few wisps of hair down the sides of my face, and then wearing the halo that goes with my outfit."

Marissa plays with my hair, lifting it and moving it around, feeling the thickness, texture, and curliness. "I like your idea, but I have a better one." She hums as she begins brushing my hair. "Just relax, close your eyes, and let me work my magic."

The sound of her humming and the rhythm of her hands remind me of when my mother would brush my hair when I was younger. It always felt so peaceful and helped me sleep.

"Val," Marissa murmurs, "wake up. I'm done with your hair." She lightly shakes my shoulder.

"Oh. Sorry." I blush, sitting up straighter.

"Do you want me to do your make-up?"

"Sure. If you want to and if you have time."

A smile lights up her face. "Absolutely. With time to spare. You underestimate my powers." Marissa giggles, twirling a piece of her curly, auburn hair. Composing herself, she picks up her eyeliner and stands in front of me. "Close your eyes."

Obeying, I feel the eyeliner press against my eyelids gently. She goes over my eyelids several times with eyeshadow.

"Okay. You're nails are next. You can open your eyes." I look at her as she sighs. "You're beautiful. Blue really goes well with your skin tone." She takes out white nail polish and a silver one that has blue sparkles in it. "White with silver tips or silver with white tips? Nope. Never mind. White with silver tips would be better." She paints my nails and lets them dry. Looking at her watch, she says, "It's five o'clock." Marissa touches my shoulders, smiling. "Look in the mirror."

Turning around, I stare in the mirror. The sight makes my heart skip a beat. Instead of being in a bun, my hair is curled and set high in a high ponytail with several small braids and some of it loose around my face. The eyeshadow is in a gradient from a darker blue near the eyelashes to a silvery-white near the eyebrows. Add that to the nails? Marissa really outdid herself.

"It's amazing," I whisper, hugging Marissa. "Thank you."

"No. Thank you. It's the least I could do for the person that introduced me to the love of my life." She pats my back. "Now get dressed. No need to keep Jack waiting."

I freeze, pulling back. "What do you mean? I'm going to the dance with JP."

"Oh. I thought you might be going with Jack Frost. That is who you were sneaking out every night to see and flying back here with, isn't it? I could see from my window."

"I'm going to the dance with JP," I repeat, not answering her question.

"Even though you don't love him? Even though you're in love with Jack?" Marissa presses.

"Who says I'm in love with Jack?"

"It's obvious to everyone else except you two."

"Everyone…else?"

"All the people that can see him." She looks at me. "You better get dressed if you don't want to be late," she says, brushing her hair.

I take out my dress, wings, halo, and shoes, before dressing. "Marissa," I call.

"Yeah, Val?"

"Can you put my halo in my hair really quick?"

"Sure thing." After a few seconds, Marissa comes out of my bathroom, wearing a tight green dress and a gold tiara that bring out the redness in her hair.

"Wow. You look beautiful, Rissa."

"Not as beautiful as you. You look like an angel." She grins as she places the halo in my hair, making me blush. "Now, go get 'em."

"Lock it up afterwards?"

"Yep."

"See you there," I say, walking out of my room, down the stairs, and out of the house all the way to the school. I stop near some bushes by the courtyard. Taking a deep breath, I step through the bushes onto the courtyard. Everyone stops and stares at me once they notice me. I see JP as he comes over to me, taking my hand. He's dressed in a black outfit that has black angel wings attached.

"You…look good," I say, blushing.

"You look amazing." He stares into my eyes.

I frown, my stomach in knots. It feels different when Jack stares into my eyes. …Maybe Marissa was right. What if I am falling for Jack? I clear my throat, trying to smile. "Let's enjoy the party."

He takes my hand, leading me out to the middle of the dance floor as a slow song begins playing. "I…really appreciate what you're doing. You don't have to, but you are."

"What are you saying?"

JP sighs. "You're the first person that I've met since I've lived in Burgess that has even remotely tried to be friends with me and who cares about me. You're the first to make me feel like I was actually worth something as a human being, the first to make me feel like I belonged. You were the first to make me feel happy."

"JP?"

He looks down before meeting my eyes. "I want you to be happy too. That's why I want you to go find Jack and be with him."

"JP…"

"It's okay." He smiles. "Go."

I hug him tight. "Thank you," I whisper.

"You're welcome, Cupid," he replies.

I smile at him before rushing to the pond behind my house, having to take off my heels. Taking a deep breath, I walk over to the boulder covered in fallen leaves, sitting on it with my legs together; all of the snow is gone. I stare at the full moon before closing my eyes. "Please…please let him come here," I whisper. A few seconds later, something cold and wet lands on my nose.

"Did you miss me, snowflake?" a voice whispers in front of me. I open my eyes and look straight into Jack's eyes. A blush rises to my face. "You look beautiful tonight…but then again, you always do."

"Th-thank you?" I finally notice the outfit that he's wearing. "Since when do you own a light blue tux?"

This time Jack blushes. "You know how I said that I needed to go talk to someone important yesterday? It was actually about getting this tux for the dance. I-I thought that it would be a good idea, since…" He gestures at my dress. "Since you look breathtakingly beautiful."

"Well…you look breathtaking yourself."

He chuckles, sitting next to me. "It took most of the day to make, which killed me."

"Why?"

"B-because…I couldn't be around you." His face turns a brighter shade of red.

"Really?" I say, turning to him.

"Yeah." He takes my hands in his. "I went to the dance looking for you, but JP told me that you already left to look for me. This was the first place that I looked." Jack squeezes my hands. "There are a couple of things that I would like to know though."

I swallow the knot in my throat, trying to squelch the butterflies in my stomach. "Go ahead."

"Well…why did you leave the dance?"

"I was trying to find you, or wait for you, since you did promise that you would come back tonight," I murmur.

"But you could have waited for me at the dance with JP, yet you didn't. Why?"

"I needed to think about some things…and I'm not that much of a people-person."

"What did you need to think about?" Jack asks, moving closer.

"Something that both Marissa and JP had said to me."

"And that is?"

I stare at Jack, a blush heating my face. "They believe that I'm…" I mumble.

"Yes?" He smirks, moving closer to me and making me shiver.

Clearing my throat, I murmur, "They think that I'm in love…with you."

"Oh?" He sounds surprised. "And what do you think?"

"I honestly don't know what to think right now."

"Hmmm. I'll let you think about it some more. In the meantime, there is something else." Jack is quiet as music begins to play. Small green lights float around the clearing that is now covered with snow and ice. Clearing his throat, he asks, "Val? May I have this dance?"

I smile. "Of course you may."

Jack stands up and floats both of us down to the center of the frozen pond like before. He puts his arms around my waist while I put mine on his shoulders. It seems more intimate this time compared to when we were ice-skating. He keeps staring into my eyes. "Can I say something without it being taken the wrong way?"

I nod.

He spins me in a circle before pulling me close to him, our noses touching. "I think I'm in love with you," he whispers, pressing his lips against mine.


End file.
